The present invention relates to absorbent articles and, more specifically, to absorbent articles such as disposable diapers, training pants and incontinence garments which are intended to receive and contain fecal insults.
Absorbent articles such as disposable diapers, training pants, incontinence garments and similar items are well known in the art. Such absorbent articles conventionally include an absorbent material for absorbing bodily exudates and include a front portion disposed adjacent the front pelvic or lower abdominal region of the wearer, a rear portion disposed adjacent the rear pelvic or lower abdominal region of the wearer and a crotch portion interconnecting the front and rear portions of the article and disposed between the legs of the wearer.
Many such conventional absorbent articles, and diapers in particular, are typically secured about the waist of the wearer using fasteners which are releasably engageable, i.e., refastenable. Such articles also often include elasticized, longitudinally extending barrier flaps which are positioned along the upper inner thighs of the wearer and inhibit the escape of exudates from between the absorbent article and legs of the wearer. Such articles are also known to include waist flaps in either or both the front and rear waist regions of the article to inhibit the escape of exudates from between the absorbent article and either the front or rear pelvic or lower abdominal region of the wearer. It is also known to provide absorbent articles with various forms of voids or pockets for receiving and containing bodily exudates.